§ 3.40 p.m.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, perhaps I may have the leave of the House to make now (because I have to be at a session of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers at four o'clock) a Statement which is being made by the Prime Minister in another place on public service salaries.
The Government have had under consideration the remuneration of Ministers and Members of Parliament, and certain related matters, including the expenses incurred by noble Lords in attendance at this House. The Prime Minister is at this moment explaining, in another place, the conclusions reached. Noble Lords will no doubt wish to hear first that part of the Government's proposals which affects them.
In a debate in this House on November 7, the Government accepted in principle that there ought to be some reimbursement of expenses incurred by noble Lords in attendance at this House. It will be generally agreed that such attendance should not be limited to those who can not only afford to give their service without remuneration, but who can also meet, out of their own resources, the 661 expenses inseparable from such services. The only assistance which Members of this House at present receive is free rail travel to Westminster. The Government now propose to allow Members to claim reimbursement of expenses up to a maximum of three guineas for each day of attendance. The payments will be in reimbursement of actual expenses arising out of unpaid service, and will therefore not be I able to tax. Ministers and the Lord Chairman of Committees will not be eligible for the payments, and they will not be made for attendances on Judicial Business.
With the agreement of noble Lords opposite, I shall ask the House to approve a Resolution in favour of these payments on Monday next.
The Government have also decided to propose increases in the emoluments of certain Ministers. The proposals involve no change in the salary of a Minister who is paid £5,000 or more. But the Government propose that the salary of a Minister who is at present paid £3,000 should be raised to £3,750; that those of the Financial and Economic Secretaries to the Treasury (who are at present paid £2,000) should be raised to the same level; those of Parliamentary Secretaries from £1,500 to £2,500; and that those with less than £1,500 should be increased by £1,000. The Government also propose that the salary of the Leader of the Opposition should be increased from £2,000 to £3,000. All these salary changes will require legislation. Appropriate steps will also be taken to increase the salary of the Lord Chairman of Committees of this House by £750.
The Government propose to take the opportunity presented by a Bill dealing with Ministerial salaries to include in it a clause applying the terms of the injury warrant to Ministers while on duty. At present, Ministers are the only servants of the Crown for whom (or for whose dependants) there is no provision in the event of their death or injury on duty.
Finally, the Government have decided that the long-deferred adjustment of the salaries of members of the Boards of nationalised industries should now take place. A plan has been worked out, but I do not propose to give full details now. Two figures will illustrate the order of the adjustments—the maximum salary of the Chairman of such a Board will be 662 raised from £8,500 to £10,000, while that of a member of a major Board will be raised from £5,000 to £7,000. In accordance with precedent—and in some cases with statutory requirements—details of the changes will be reported to Parliament in due course. A convenient date for these changes in emoluments and salary would be from July 1. The extension of the injury warrant would, of course, have to wait until the proposed Bill is law.
My Lords, it may be that there is a good deal of detail in the statement which I have just made. Noble Lords may like to have it in their possession before asking too many detailed questions, and as there is to be a Resolution on Monday perhaps we may take that opportunity; but I will, of course, answer any questions that I can now.
§ 3.44 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, we are all grateful to the Leader of the House for making the statement: he has made, and I am perfectly certain in my own mind that the parts of it which relate to expense allowances to Members attending here for Parliamentary work will be agreeable to the majority of Members of the House. As the noble Leader of the House has to go to an urgent engagement of great importance, I do not think it would serve well to ask a number of questions about it; and as we on this side of the House have agreed, if and as necessary on Monday, to speak on a Resolution which is to be put on the Paper, I think that to-day I should like to leave the matter there.
LORD REAMy Lords, I follow the noble Viscount and echo his words. We normally say that we are grateful to the Leader of the House for his statement; I think we are particularly grateful in regard to this statement, and we may be even more grateful in the future. I agree that no good service would be done by going into matters of detail now, and I hope that the House will allow the Leader to perform his other duties as he wishes.
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I am grateful that your Lordships take that view. As I get neither an increase in salary nor the three guineas, I hope that I have been reasonable.